Highway to Hell
by A Mind Needs a Book
Summary: An unlikely duo team up in order to take down one of New Orleans' most powerful players; Klaus Mikaelson. All's fair in love and war, including kidnapping poor unsuspecting blonde's in order to use them as leverage.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: An "organic" crossover that leads to permanent changes. The events are inspired by a very brief conversation that took place in season 1 of The Originals. I have no idea how long this story will be. I have never tried creative writing before, so everything is kind of up in the air. It may end at chapter 3 or it may progress into something more. It depends on your interest in the story and on my capabilities as a writer. With all that being said, I hope you enjoy the story :)**

p.s I do not own any of these characters.

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The last thing Caroline Forbes remembered was walking home from the Mystic Grill after meeting up with her friends. And then, everything went black. So it was beyond her how exactly it was she wound up in the trunk of a car.

Someone had snapped her neck. That part was pretty obvious judging by the pain she felt and it was also safe to bet that her assailant was a vampire since he had been able to sneak up on her with such ease. Granted, she was slightly inebriated at the time, but she was a vampire nonetheless and that meant that whoever had gotten the best of her was also a vampire. Witches would have given her an aneurysm. Snapping necks, that was a vampire thing.

So here she was, tied up in a trunk, freaking out and cursing her good sense of smell because the trunk seriously reeked.

As soon as Caroline regained consciousness, she tried to roll over and kick in the back light. AC/DC filled the air which allowed her to hope that the music would muffle any of the noise she made or that it would at least keep the man distracted and focused on singing along to "Highway to Hell". No, the irony of the chorus was not lost on her.

Her mother, Liz Forbes, was a sheriff and because she had seen some gruesome things in her time, she had developed a healthy dose of paranoia. When she had failed to rescue a young girl who was kidnapped and found dead in a trunk, Liz made sure to sit Caroline down and tell her how to handle that type of situation. So naturally, Caroline's first instinct was to kick in the light and to try and signal for help.

Unfortunately for Caroline, her wrists and ankles were bound together with ropes laced with vervain. Every time Caroline tried to move, the friction caused by her movements would allow the ropes further access to burn into her skin. Caroline was no stranger to pain, but on top of causing her pain, the ropes limited her movements. Vervain weakened vampires greatly and it left Caroline nearly powerless to her new situation.

Since physical strength was not on her side, she decided to use her other vampire skills in order to figure out as much about her situation as possible.

Refusing to show weakness, she took in a deep breath before she spoke in order to calm her nerves and to try and block out the pain caused by the vervain. Every bump the car hit caused Caroline to move. And every movement she made caused her more pain.

"Where are you taking me? I'm all for road trips but I would have much preferred to ride shot-gun."

She did the best she could to try and hide the fear from her voice. Caroline Forbes believed that if one committed enough to a lie, then one would start to believe said lie. If she acted brave, than maybe she would start to feel it.

Despite the music that filled the air and the fact that the trunk did a pretty decent job of muffling noise, the assailant was able to hear Caroline. In order to better concentrate, he turned off the radio so that he could zero in on one noise - Caroline's voice.

The man was bored, so he decided to indulge his victim, if only for a while.

"Someone has a sense of humor. That's good. You're going to need it considering what's in store for you. I wonder if you'll still be laughing when they're done with you."

Okay, so that was in no way reassuring, but the guy did say "they're" which meant that there were at least two people behind her kidnapping. Again, not exactly reassuring.

Caroline had spent her fair share of time around villains and they usually liked to work alone. Katherine, loner, Klaus, loner, Mikael, loner, Esther, loner. It was an ego thing. They didn't like to share the spotlight. Sure, there were Shane, Silas and Hayley, but they were nothing more than pawns being controlled by Silas. Silas was the real villain, the other two were nothing more than his lackeys. For two or more people to be working together, it meant that they wanted Caroline badly, which made Caroline extremely nervous and confused. Was she going to be used as a pawn in order to be used as leverage against one of her friends? Did this have something to do with Elena? More and more questions kept arising but regardless of her confusion, there was one thing she knew for sure. Caroline Forbes would not allow herself to be used to hurt anyone she cared about. She needed to be strong and she needed to be smart.

She took in another deep breath and hoped her voice would continue to sound steady. She needed to figure out how many people were in the car and since vampires didn't have heart beats, it was hard to tell. The only way she was going to figure out what she needed was if she kept talking. There would be time for tears later.

"So, who exactly are we meeting up with?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out. But rest assured, your death will not be in vain. Kidnapping you is going to make my boss very pleased. I expect a great reward."

Again, not very reassuring, but the fact that it was only one person answering meant that she had been taken hostage by one man. That was good. It meant that when they arrived to their destination and he opened up the trunk, she could try to overpower him and flee. In her weakened state, more than one would be impossible, but one meant she had a chance.

"Where exactly are we going?" Caroline asked, desperately trying to gather as much information as possible. She had tried to be sneaky with her inquiry, but she had gotten all the information she was going to get by being subtle, so she decided to try her luck with obvious questions.

"We're going to a wonderful city, filled with culture. Shame you won't be able to enjoy it though. New Orleans is wonderful this time of year."

Before Caroline had time to ask another question, the man turned on the radio signaling that he was unwilling to answer any more of her inquiries.

* * *

**Well, that's it for chapter one! I hope it was okay. Comments are very much appreciated - especially since I'm very new at this. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A:N/ Thank you to those of you who took the time to leave a review and to those of you who decided to follow my story. You are easing my transition into the world of fan fiction and I greatly appreciate it.**

* * *

After what felt like an eternity, but had in reality only been a few hours, the car came to a stop. Caroline's mind was still reeling at the information that she was being hauled to New Orleans, but she did her best to concentrate on the situation that was now unfolding in front of her. Now was not the time to freak out about the possibility of seeing Klaus again.

The last time she had seen him he had asked for her confession and since he had promised to leave in return, she had decided to comply. She had admitted that she had felt a connection to him and then she had allowed herself to do something that she had been secretly wanting to do for a long time. She had allowed herself to kiss Klaus Mikaelson. At least that is all she had planned on allowing herself to do, but as it turned out, not even Caroline Forbes could compartmentalize everything. The next thing she knew, she was pushed up against a tree and taking Klaus' jacket off. She had gotten swept up in the moment. In fact she had gotten swept up in the moment several times. And Caroline Forbes could not remember the last time it had felt that good to lose control. But in true Caroline Forbes nature, she spent the good part of the following morning trying to seize back control by meticulously cleaning everything in her dorm.

She was a control freak. She was meticulous, proper and was always in control. Except with all things Klaus related. He had a way of distracting her and getting under her skin. He drove her crazy and pushed her to her limits, which wasn't always a bad thing. It helped her embrace her vampire nature. But she would never tell Klaus or her friends that.

Caroline heard the driver's door open and she was snapped back to reality. She knew that if she was hoping to escape, now would be her best chance. As the footsteps got louder, Caroline braced herself for action. As soon as the man opened the trunk, she was going to use the remainder of her strength to move her wrists to her assailant's eye level and press the material covered with vervain to his eyes, hopefully weakening him and momentarily blinding him in the process. Her plan wasn't great, but it was the best she could do considering the circumstances and she hoped that the painful distraction would last long enough for her to find a means to escape her confines.

The man finally made his way to the trunk and it popped open. Caroline barely had time to register that there was a man - probably her assailant - and a young girl who she had never seen before blocking her path, before a searing pain seized control of her and caused her to scream out in pain. And then, everything went black. Again.

* * *

Caroline woke up in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse with the all too familiar feeling of a soreness in her neck. Getting her neck snapped was starting to become somewhat of a habit. One she was eager to break.

She was bound to a wooden chair and in front of her were three people, two of whom she recognized. The man in the red shirt, with the scruffy brown hair was her assailant and the young girl in the white dress was the one who graciously greeted Caroline by knocking her out cold with the use of magic.

Now that Caroline was able to get a better look at the witch, she realized that she was quite young. The girl must have been no more than 16 years old. Caroline couldn't help but pity her, for she had undoubtedly gotten herself into a situation that was too much for her to handle. No teenager was equipped to be thrown into the midst of magic and chaos. Caroline knew this from personal experience and because of that, she couldn't help but pity her.

The girl stood close by ready to act if need be. Next to her was a man who was positioned slightly closer to Caroline. Confidence and power seemed to radiate from the unknown man. He was tall, dark and handsome and decked out in simple, yet flattering clothing. He sported a light brown t-shirt that showed off his muscles and dark-wash jeans. Despite the simple outfit, Caroline could tell that this man meticulously planned out his appearance in order to achieve a specific effect. He was a salesman who was trying to get people to buy his confidence. Caroline was all too familiar with facades. She too had been guilty of sporting masks and because of that, she could see right through him. His confidence was clearly not as unfaltering as he wanted people to believe.

A wide smile formed on his face that sent chills down Caroline's spine. While the smile was bright and beautiful, there was something menacing about it.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to join the world of the conscious! Welcome to my city Miss Forbes. It's unfortunate you couldn't find your way here under more pleasurable circumstances. New Orleans is truly a beautiful place and a pretty little thing like you would have flourished in the city's night life."

His city? Well, this man clearly had an ego that rivaled Klaus'. Maybe she was wrong about the whole confidence thing.

Before Caroline could get a word in, the man stepped closer to her and opened his mouth to speak again. Villains sure liked their monologues.

"I must admit Miss Forbes, or can I call you Caroline? I feel like I know you well enough to call you by your first name. After all, my man Jeremiah over here," he gestured to the man in red, "did a very thorough job of finding out about your life in Mystic Falls." He paused for dramatic effect, trying to put on a good show for his two lackeys. The best façade was one that was never allowed to falter, so despite the lack of a sizable crowd, the man decided to put on a show. "I must admit, when Klaus came back from his little trip to his hometown practically oozing rainbows and sunshine, I expected the cause to be something a little bit more morbid. We both know how much pleasure Klaus derives from his little massacres. So imagine my surprise when I sent Jeremiah here to check out the town in order to find the source of Klaus' happiness and he found you! Small towns love their gossip and your little tryst with Klaus was the talk of the town. Made my boy's life much easier."

Caroline's cheeks turned red out of anger and the cogs in her brain started churning in an attempt to come up with the best possible approach to this scenario. She came up with nothing, which meant it was time to go with the straight approach.

"It seems like you are a smart man who does his homework, which means you know Klaus pretty well and are aware of what he is capable of. The man will stop at nothing to seek revenge on those who have slighted him, so what exactly do you plan on gaining from this kidnapping besides executing what will probably go down as the most extravagant suicide in history?"

Marcel's menacing laughter filled the room making Caroline extremely uncomfortable.

"You have quite the sharp tongue. I can see why Klaus likes you. Unfortunately, you seem to be forgetting a very important factor. He is not the only powerful man in New Orleans that is to be feared."

"Or woman." Came a voice from somewhere behind the man. He took a step to the side and cranked his neck to get a better look. The movement allowed Caroline to see the source of the voice.

A small ethereal looking woman with a pixy cut walked in. Her skin was the color of porcelain which served to highlight her dark brown eyes. The woman's overall appearance suggested that she was kind and warm hearted, but her eyes spoke a different story. There was a sadness in them that was accompanied by power and hatred and Caroline had no doubt that this woman was to be feared.

The woman continued to walk towards Caroline and only stopped once she was standing directly in front of her. She eyed her for a moment and then proceeded to speak.

"It is nice to finally be able to meet you, Caroline. I am so very sorry that you got caught in the middle of this, but it seems that you have made yourself a permanent fixture in my son's heart and because of that there is no escaping your fate."

The woman wore a different face, but it was clear that her intentions remained. Esther Mikaelson wanted her children dead and there was nothing she would not do in order to achieve her goal and rid of her children once and for all.

* * *

**So, Esther is Marcel's partner in crime and they have Caroline. This should end well lol**

**In the next chapter, we will finally hear from Klaus. I'm a little nervous about that since I'm not entirely sure how to write Klaus and I don't have much of the next chapter planned out. It might take a while for me to produce the next bit, but I will do my best to get it up asap.**

**p.s I just want to take a moment to say thank you to my lovely friend Lauren, known as ssklarolinewrites on this site, for being a supportive friend and encouraging me to write. She is a very talented writer, so make sure to check out her stuff :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Once again, a big thank you to those of you who took the time to comment and to those of you who see enough potential in the story to follow it. It means a lot. There is nothing more encouraging than getting comments, follows and favorites. The comments are especially appreciated since it motivates me to write as well as helping me gauge what you guys are interested in seeing. **

* * *

Klaus sat at the back of Rousseau's, in a corner booth facing his brother. The bar hummed with the familiar sound of chatter and music. It wasn't an exceedingly popular place, but like most bars, it garnered a bunch of loyal customers that returned regularly. Klaus was one of those regulars.

He chatted with his brother, waiting for the waitress to come and deliver their drinks - a whiskey for him and a beer for his brother.

After a few minutes, Klaus caught Camille walking towards their table, drinks in hand. Beer trickled down the side of the mug as she accidentally tipped the tray and caused the beer to spill over.

As she placed the drinks down, she gave them both a warm smile and greeted them.

"Well, if it isn't my two most loyal customers. I hope you are here to drink and have a good time as opposed to bringing unwanted trouble into my bar. I never know with you two. Sometimes you're here to unwind, and sometimes you're here because you want to get me mixed up in one of your crazy schemes."

"Don't worry, love." Klaus said with a hint of mischief in his voice "I can assure you that we are here for pleasure, rather than business."

"Good, I like to keep the chaos in my bar to a minimum," she replied before turning and walking away.

Klaus took a sip of his whiskey, and turned to his brother in order to resume their conversation.

"You know, I really don't understand your fascination. She seems like such a painfully bland little thing. I much prefer pretty things with sharp tongues."

Klaus shot Kol a death glare willing him to shut up, but as always, Kol ignored the warning and continued with his antics.

"This one, she's more of the snacking variety. Perhaps a roll in the hay beforehand, but nothing more. I wouldn't want to deprive her a taste of paradise before her untimely death."

"Kol, you are my brother and I am happy to have you back, but if you say another word I will be forced to cut out your tongue. I always did prefer you when you were silent."

When Klaus found out about the veil dropping in Mystic Falls and his brother returning to the land of the living, he was thrilled. He had a rocky relationship with his siblings at best, but as Elijah liked to so often remind him, they were family and that meant that they were bonded, forever and always.

However, there were times when Klaus was all too tempted to take a dagger and sentence his brother to a couple of years of silence. This was one of those moments. It wasn't that Klaus was in love with Camille, because he wasn't, but he enjoyed her company. At first, he had spent time with her because he had needed her to spy on Marcel, but after a while, he had realized that there was something familiar about her that he enjoyed, and because of that, he wanted to keep her close. Despite his best efforts, he was never quite able to place the familiar feeling.

"You're no fun Nik and you are becoming painfully predictable if I may add. Did you not threaten to rip my liver out last year over that blonde you were eyeing? At least she looked like fun! This one over here has as much personality as our dear brother, Elijah."

"Brother, do not test my patience. I can and I will ensure your silence by daggering you or by cutting out your tongue if you say another word about her."

"So sensitive Niklaus! I won't say another word about her. She is a boring topic of discussion anyway."

Kol misunderstood his brother. It was not Camille he did not want mentioned, but Caroline. No one in New Orleans knew about her and he wanted it to stay that way.

While he wanted nothing more than for her to be by his side, the last thing he wanted was for Caroline to get caught in the crossfire. Being a powerful, nearly indestructible creature had its perks, but it also meant that he had no shortage of enemies. Enemies that wanted him dead and would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. This is what caused Klaus to send his daughter away and this is why he wanted to keep Caroline a secret.

Klaus' phone began to ring, slowly pulling him back to the conversation, but before he had a chance to grasp what was happening, Kol snatched the phone and answered it.

"Hello," he chirped. "This is Klaus Mikaelson's phone." Klaus tried to get the phone back without causing too much of a scene, but his brother kept swatting his hand away. "He can't come to the phone right now because he is busy showering his wonderful brother, Kol, with compliments, but I'd be more than happy to take a message."

Kol was grinning like a fool, clearly entertaining himself with his own antics.

"Hello Kol, can you put your brother on the phone. I have a very important message for him."

Kol's face went white and the smile left his face as he placed the familiar voice. His mother was supposed to be dead. This was not possible. They had killed her.

When Klaus heard the voice through the phone, his eyes widened in shock and terror. He leaned over the table and reclaimed the phone from his brother.

"I thought we had disposed of you. Why don't you do yourself a favor and let us be this time. Let bygones be bygones. You know, that sort of thing. I don't want to have to kill my mother for a second time and bury her for a third."

His voice sounded calm but his appearance told a different tale. He was holding onto his glass of whiskey with too much force, causing the glass to shatter all over the table, earning him a couple of prying eyes. He glared at them and hissed and they eventually continued about their business.

"You know I cannot do that. I have waited too long to right the wrongs I created and I cannot rest until I have cleansed this earth of my mistakes. I will however allow you this one courtesy. I have someone that may be of interest to you."

Klaus knew that Rebekah was with Hope and that if anything had gone wrong with the baby, Hayley would have sensed it. He knew his daughter was safe and since he possessed the only remaining white oak stake, he knew his siblings were too. Who could she possibly have that would be of importance to Klaus? Everyone he cared about was long gone or safe.

"And whom might that be mother?" Klaus said with renewed confidence believing everyone he cared for was out of her reach.

"Caroline Forbes."

The noise in the room seemed to grow tenfold. The clinging of the glasses dizzying him and the laughter seemingly taunting him. It was all becoming too much.

He made his way outside in hopes of getting some quiet, Kol quickly following suit, not wanting to miss a moment of the conversation.

This made no sense, he kept repeating to himself. She was in Mystic Falls. She was safe and he had men watching after her. They were instructed to call him if something happened to her. She was safe. She had to be.

Before Klaus could respond, he heard Caroline's voice on the receiver. Esther had put her on for confirmation.

"Klaus?" She sounded frightened and confused. Understandably so.

The fear in her voice caused him pain. She was hurting because of him and he could not allow that.

He took up the conversation and tried to reassure her that everything would be okay.

"Don't worry love. I won't let them hurt you. I promise."

Before anything else could be said, Esther was back on the phone.

"If you so much as harm a hair on her head, I will kill you. I will become the monster you have painted me as and I will hurt you in ways you never even imagined and then, when your body can no longer take the pain and the suffering and you perish, I will bring you back from the dead myself and I will kill you again. Do you understand me, mother?"

Kol understood the hatred Klaus felt for his mother, but the way he reacted to Caroline's name was not something he could have foreseen. As far as Kol knew, Klaus mocked love and considered it a great weakness. Clearly he had missed a lot since he had died.

"I see I was right about your feelings for her. Do not worry. I have promised to extend you a courtesy. The girl is free to go and you may come and get her. She is at the old abandoned warehouse on Basin Street. I do suggest you hurry though. I will not be here when you arrive and who knows who may find her while I am gone."

Klaus hung up the phone and he was gone in a flash, leaving Kol dazed and behind. When he had time to gather his composure, he took off after his brother.

* * *

Klaus was at the warehouse in a matter of minutes, but it was not nearly fast enough for his liking. He needed to see Caroline and he needed to see her now. He could not trust that his mother would not hurt her and Klaus could not afford to lose her. She had a part of him that he was unwilling to part with.

He quickly made his way to the old rusted door and pried it open. It took him seconds to check the rooms and find her location.

She was placed in the middle of the room, bound to a wooden chair. He sped around her, quickly surveying her for any injuries. When he didn't see any, his anger was replaced with relief.

"Klaus, you're making me dizzy."

He stopped in front of Caroline and crouched down before her, cupping her face.

"I'm sorry love. I just needed to make sure that you were okay. Did she do anything to hurt you?"

"Besides using vervain to hold me down and pricking me with a needle to get some of my blood, she didn't do anything to hurt me."

Caroline didn't need to clarify. Klaus understood that her blood was undoubtedly needed for a spell, but before he proceeded, he thought it best to free her of her confines and alleviate the pain the ropes were causing her.

He stood up and proceeded with his plan.

"Caroline, I'm going to free you now. I need you to try and distance yourself as much as possible from the chair. Lean forward and try to lift yourself up a bit. I'm going to break the chair, sweetheart."

Caroline nodded, signaling her understanding and proceeded to follow his instructions.

Klaus broke the chair with ease, ripping off piece by piece until she was freed. When the bottom was gone, he caught her and helped her carefully slip off the ropes which were now hanging loosely. He then helped her back on her feet and proceeded with his interrogation.

"Do you know what kind of spell she performed on you?"

Caroline's eyes filled with pain before she replied and Klaus wanted nothing more than to chase her pain away.

"She performed a boundary spell. I am not allowed to leave New Orleans."

Excitement, fear and anger fought for dominance over Klaus. Excitement, for once more having Caroline by his side, fear for her safety and anger at his mother for forcing her to stay. As much as he wanted her here, he wanted her to come on her own terms.

* * *

Esther, Marcel and his lackeys were surveying the scene from a building down the street.

"Are you sure she won't remember me?" asked Marcel.

"Do not worry. As long as you keep your distance, your involvement will remain a secret. If you spend too much time with her, her memories may come back, so it is best to limit your interactions with the girl."

"Noted. And are you sure Klaus' death won't lead to my demise?" he asked to Davina, more than to anyone else.

"Yes, I'm sure. I watched Esther perform the spell that unlinked you from Klaus. You are safe, Marcel. I would never let anyone hurt you."

"Good, so everything is falling into place. Caroline will keep Klaus distracted and we'll be able to lure the rest of your family here to complete the spell."

They watched as Klaus, Caroline and Kol, who had opted to stay outside of the warehouse, left the premises. Working with others wasn't something Marcel was accustomed to, but he had to admit, things were working out nicely for him.

* * *

**Bringing Kol back from the dead was a last minute decision, one that I hope you all enjoyed. I had a lot of fun using him to sass Camille – it was the only way to make her scenes bearable. The only reason I included her is because I wanted to make this story as believable as possible (at least in terms of the premise) and I wanted to try and make sense of Klaus' attraction to her. Dude, wake up, that familiar feeling, it's Caroline :P**

**Anyways, that's it for Chapter 3. I really hope you all enjoyed it. The next few chapters may not come as fast since I'll be starting school on Tuesday and I'm not entirely sure where I want to take this story, but I hope you'll be patient with me and continue to follow my work.**

**As always, comments are very much appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize for the wait. I know it was a bit longer than usual. I may or may not have become addicted to The O.C and this may or may not have resulted in me using up all of my free time to marathon season 1 lol. Your positive comments are pretty much the only reason I had the willpower to tear myself away from the show. I'll do my best to produce the next chapter a bit faster, but I cannot make any promises. This show has an unhealthy hold on me.**

**As always, a big thank you to those of you who took the time to leave me a comment and a special thank you to the guest reviewer who wished that the writers could see things my way. Me too buddy, me too…**

* * *

When Caroline got to the Mikaelsons' mansion, or humble abode as Kol called it, her mouth fell open in awe. The house was beautiful.

The exterior was white, with the exception of the shutters and the door, both of which were painted black. Four ionic columns adorned the building, standing tall like soldiers proudly defending their country. There was a single light source that hung from the roof of the house and several trees that surrounded the property, which seemed to stretch on for days. In short, there was nothing humble about the place. It was very different from the house they had in Mystic Falls, but no less beautiful.

The inside was even more breathtaking. Grey walls with white trimmings housed beautiful paintings that added splashes of color to the house. The building had more art and culture in it than Caroline had been exposed to in her entire life. Every last detail of the plantation seemed to be perfect. Even Caroline Forbes, certified perfectionist, could not find anything wrong with the place. She was admiring the beautiful building and in return, Klaus was admiring her.

Her face seemed to light up with every new observation. Her eyes eagerly taking in the view and glowing with excitement, momentarily forgetting the unfortunate circumstances that brought her here.

She looked happy and Klaus hated having to pull her back to reality, especially since he was admiring the view just as much as she was, but he knew that Caroline had things that she needed to take care of.

"There is a phone in my office, love. I'm assuming you want to call your friends and mother in order to let them know that you are okay. Have you thought about what you are going to say to them?"

Caroline stopped admiring the house in order to face Klaus and answer him.

She had been thinking about what to tell her loved ones ever since Esther told her that she had enacted a boundary spell. She hated lying to her friends and she hated lying to her mother even more, but she knew the truth wasn't an option. If they knew about her predicament, they would all make their way to New Orleans in order to help keep her safe and Caroline would never willingly put her loved ones in danger.

Esther was a huge threat to everyone's safety and while Caroline had Klaus' protection, she doubted that he would be willing to extend the same courtesy to her friends.

While Caroline was in his favor, the rest weren't. Damon had a knack for pissing people off, Elena and Jeremy killed Kol and Matt had been in a relationship with Rebekah, which meant that Klaus was not very fond of them. Stefan was likely to be the only guest that Klaus approved of, but Caroline didn't want him anywhere near New Orleans. When Klaus and Stefan spent too much time together, things tended to take a turn for the worst. If any of her loved ones found out the truth, they would all be in great peril, so lying was the only viable option.

"Yes, I am going to call my mother and tell her that I decided to go to Florida for the summer in order to get away from Mystic Falls for a while. She knows I've been through a lot. My friends and I, we all have, and now with Bonnie's death," Caroline's eyes left Klaus', "she'll believe that I needed to get away. That I needed to take a break." Talking about her friend's death was not something she was comfortable with.

"I'll have someone get your things immediately, before your mother comes home from work."

"That's not necessary, I can buy new clothes, or pick some out from that creepy closet of yours."

Caroline's response elicited a smile from Klaus. He admired her light. No matter what life threw at her, she persevered, believing that life was filled with too much possibility and beauty to be left jaded.

"I'll gladly buy and lend you whatever you want, but if your mother is to believe that you have gone on a sabbatical, then some of your things need to be missing."

"If it's undergarments that need retrieving, I'll gladly go on that run for you, Nik."  
Kol looked directly at Caroline and winked, reminding them both of his presence. Being the youngest boy in his family meant that he was always competing for attention, thus constantly throwing in crude comments, never allowing people to forget his presence for long.

Klaus intended on scolding his brother for his inappropriate comment, but before he could say or do anything, Caroline had intervened.

"Resorting to acting like a prepubescent, horny teenager. Chased all the girls in New Orleans away, huh?" Mock concern filled Caroline's face.

Despite Caroline being the one to speak to him, he turned to face Klaus.

"I can see why you fancy her. Pretty thing with a sharp tongue, now this one I approve of." He then turned back to face Caroline, giving her a sly smile. "If you ever get bored of my brother, sweetheart, you know where to find me"

Another wink graced Kol's face and he vanished upstairs before Klaus could chastise him.

"Well, I can see that the Mikaelson charm clearly runs in the family."

Klaus feint to be injured, clutching his heart as if an arrow just pierced him.

"Oh, come on now, love! I can assure you that my means are much more tactful and subtle than that."

Caroline's eyes lit up at the familiar banter. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed his wit.

"Seriously, Klaus? Subtle? I recall you offering to take me to Rome and Paris when we first met. Nothing about you is tactful or subtle."

Caroline expected Klaus to continue the banter, but instead the lightness in his voice disappeared.

"And Tokyo, or anywhere else you wish to go for that matter. My offer still stands."

And it will continue to stand for all of eternity. He promised to be her last love and he meant it. He knew it, as did Caroline, she just wasn't ready to be with him yet, but she had admitted that she had feelings for him and that's all he needed to know. He had slowly made his way into her heart and he couldn't help but hope that one day, her heart would belong to him, just as his belonged to her.

Caroline wasn't ready to take things seriously with Klaus. She knew that he intended on spending eternity with her and she wasn't ready to commit to anything like that, so she quickly changed the mood back to playful.

"You're right, Klaus. You are subtle." She teased.

Not wanting Klaus to make the mood serious again, she opted to ask him to use the phone in order to call her mother and friends. The office which he directed her to was more of a library than an office. Staying true to the rest of the décor, it was beautiful, tasteful and huge. She sat down in the chair and called her loved ones, starting with her mother, who was at work.

* * *

When Caroline finished with her phone calls, it was nine pm. She had spent over an hour on the phone calling everyone. She hated hearing the hurt in her mother's voice, but she knew there was no other option. Stefan on the other hand thought this break would be good for her and offered to pick her up at the airport when she was ready to return. He also told her to call him if she needed anything. Caroline was infinitely grateful for his understanding, but part of her felt guilty for lying to him. The guilt didn't get any easier when she had to relay the same lies to Elena and Matt, but she knew that guilt was a small price to pay for keeping her friends safe.

When she finished the calls and hung up, she caught part of Klaus' and Kols' conversation. They were trying to figure out how to best handle the situation.

"What are we going to do with her? Mother released her for a reason and I'm willing to bet that reason isn't good. Should we lock her up somewhere?" asked Kol.

"Umm… hello?" Klaus' and Kol's attention was redirected to Caroline who had made her way outside of the office and was now leaning against the wall, hands crossed over her chest in annoyance. "'Her" is right here and she gets a say in her own fate, thank you very much. And nobody is locking me up anywhere," she added as an afterthought.

"Don't worry love, we won't have to, because you'll be staying with us."

Klaus had already called Elijah and asked him to keep Hayley at the bayou for the next few days. He needed time to tell Caroline about her and Hope. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but since Caroline was stuck in New Orleans for an undetermined amount of time, he figured he had no choice but to tell her the truth. This also presented him with the perfect opportunity since Caroline was unable to flee the city, thus giving him some time to win her over again.

"Before you try to argue, remember that your life is in danger and that this is not something I'm willing to compromise on. If you decide to leave and take up residence in some drab apartment, I will follow you there and make myself your neighbor. Either way, you are stuck with me."

Caroline hated being pushed into doing anything, but she knew that he was just as stubborn as she was and that this was not something he was going to let up on. In the end, she decided to comply, knowing that giving in would be easier on both of them. Klaus would be able to keep an eye on her and she'd be willing to sleep better knowing that she had him nearby.

"So, what's the plan? I'm only asking so that I can veto it," stated Caroline.

"It's quite simple actually. We are going to throw a ball in order to introduce you as my Queen. I have many enemies, Caroline, but there are far more people who fear me, than those who are willing to oppose me, and those who fear me would do anything to remain on my good side, including helping me keep you safe."

"That is not a bad plan, brother, although I still think locking her up is a viable option," said Kol.

Caroline shot him a quick dirty look, reminding him that she was not their prisoner, but their guest and that meant being treated with a certain amount of respect.

"Fine, but on one condition. You need to understand that this is just a charade. I am not here to help fill your weird Cinderella fetish. I am doing this because it is a good idea and because it will help keep me safe. I am not your real girlfriend."

She stared him down, unwilling to move on her stance, showing him that she was serious. Just because she slept with him did not mean she was willing to date him. It was a one-time thing and she need to make that clear. She needed to keep as much distance as possible.

"Yes, yes, that's fine, now let me show you to your room. I'm sure you are exhausted and want to rest."

He put his hand on the small of her back in an attempt to direct her to her room, but she swatted his hand away, garnering herself a laugh from Kol who was observing them. They went upstairs and made their way down the corridor until they finally stopped in front of a door.

Klaus signaled for her to enter, silently confirming that this was to be her room.

There was a room next to hers and she had an idea as to who it belonged to, but she wanted to make sure.

"And where will you be sleeping?" asked Caroline.

"My lodgings are the ones next to yours of course." He pushed her up against the wall and before Caroline had time to process what was happening, he was pressed up against her. "In case you want to start up where we left off." His voice was filled with hunger, so when he leaned in a bit more, Caroline was certain he was going to kiss her, but instead, he just flashed away, leaving nothing but cold air behind.

That is definitely not what Caroline had anticipated and it was definitely not what she wanted, right? She was here because she had no other choice and not because she had feelings for Klaus. At least that is what she kept repeating to herself.

One thing was sure, spending time here was going to be a lot harder than Caroline had originally anticipated.

* * *

**Well, that is it for chapter 4, I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 5 will be the ball. I am equally excited and nervous about that chapter. Hopefully it goes well.**

**As always, reviews are very much appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay. School has started, which means that my updates will be happening less frequently. I will do my best to squeeze in some writing whenever I can. A late update does not mean I have given up on the story, It just means that I haven't had the time to write. I promise that if I ever give up on the story, I will at least be courteous enough to post a message online in order to notify those of you who have been kind enough to follow me on this journey.**

**With that being said, here's chapter 5. I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Despite Caroline's exhaustion, she had spent a good part of the night tossing and turning, desperately trying to get her mind to focus on anything other than Klaus.

Living under the same roof, under close proximities, did not mean that she had to fall prey to his charm. They were pretending to be in a relationship for survival's sake, but that was it. There was nothing real about the relationship. Not her feelings for him, not her attraction towards him and most definitely not her desire to be with him. That was a one-time thing. A means to an end. A way to get him out of her system so that she could start her life anew.

If Caroline Forbes was anything, she was resilient, so why was it that no matter how hard she tried, she could not stop herself from thinking about Klaus?

Come six o'clock, she gave up on trying to get any sleep. She tore the duvet off her body and slowly made her way downstairs, trying to keep the noise to a minimum. Yesterday was an extremely hectic day and Caroline wanted nothing more than a warm cup of coffee and some alone time.

As she started making her way down the stairs, a delicious scent filled her nose, nearly causing her to stop in her tracks. She was not expecting anyone to be awake, but as much as she wanted some alone time, she wanted a taste of that coffee even more.

She continued making her way down the stairs before following the hallway to the kitchen. The hall was filled with paintings that Caroline had briefly looked at upon her arrival and she made a mental note to better examine the works once she was fully awake. Even in her half dazed stupor, Caroline could tell that the art was beautiful and worth looking at once in a better mind set. Art like this deserved to be properly admired, so she steered her attention away from the art and towards the coffee.

When she got to the kitchen, she saw Klaus sitting at the head of the table in nothing but pajama bottoms, sipping coffee from a Styrofoam cup.

Knowing that Esther's spell would not keep Caroline here forever, Klaus had opted to show Caroline all that New Orleans had to offer in an attempt to keep her here once the spell wore off. This included showing her some of New Orleans hidden gems – like that small café that served delicious coffee.

"What are you doing up this early? It's only six am." Asked Caroline, moving her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a yawn.

Klaus turned to look at her before answering, taking in the image before him.

Caroline was wearing a pair of pink pajamas that Klaus had stolen from Rebekah's room and she was sporting a serious case of bed hair, which made her look surprisingly adorable. Klaus was pretty sure bed hair was supposed to be a bad thing – almost as sure as he was that he would never use the word adorable in a sincere manner – but Caroline Forbes had a way of making the impossible possible when it came to Klaus.  
"I should be asking you that. You're clearly tired, love. I heard you tossing and turning last night and I must admit, I was quite disappointed that I was not the cause of your sleepless night, or perhaps I was?" He asked, while arching his eyebrows, suggesting that he knew full well why she couldn't sleep.

Caroline silently cursed his supernatural sense of hearing.

"Enough with the innuendos and hidden messages. It's too early for this." The coffee smelled delicious and she was dying for a cup.

She walked to the table and signaled to the extra coffee. "I'm assuming this cup is for me?"

Klaus nodded and pulled the chair next to him away from the table so that Caroline could sit.

Not wanting to be too close to him she took her coffee and opted to sit on the other end of the table.

Her unwillingness to be close to him caused Klaus to smile, knowing full well that the unrequired distance meant that he was getting under her skin.

Caroline took a sip of the coffee and relished the warm feeling it gave her body. The coffee was delicious. It was just what she needed and it was served just the way she liked it, with two sugars and two milks. She didn't want to know how Klaus knew about her coffee preferences, but she most definitely was not surprised that he somehow possessed that little bit of information. He seemed to know more about her than most of her friends, which was both endearing and creepy.

Klaus and Caroline sat on opposite ends of the table, in silence, until it finally dawned on Caroline that she had not seen Rebekah or Elijah since her arrival. Klaus was rarely without his siblings, especially Rebekah, so she decided to ask Klaus about their whereabouts.

"Will Rebekah and Elijah be attending the ball later tonight?" asked Caroline.

Klaus put his coffee down and proceeded to answer. He knew he would have to tell her a lie about their whereabouts sooner or later, but it was not something he was looking forward to.

"No they will not. They are on a business trip of sorts and I think it's best that you don't know the details. It's easier to keep you safe that way."

Klaus' fable wasn't a complete lie. He couldn't allow her to find about Hayley and Hope because it would put both her and Hope in danger. He needed time to tell her without telling her everything and he hadn't quite figured out how he was going to fill her in on the situation.

"Ah, yes, my safety. That's getting a bit annoying isn't it? Ever since I've been here, that's been the topic of conversation. I can take care of myself. I handled you and Silas, didn't I?"

Klaus let out a huff of air out of sheer frustration.

"Good, let out some of that hot air that inflates your huge ego," quipped Caroline. "And don't worry because the ball is tonight and I have enough on my plate, so you can tell me afterwards, but I do expect an answer. If I'm going to be with you" Caroline's cheeks blushed as she quickly corrected her statement "I mean be stuck with you, I expect you to tell me everything. You need to trust me."

Klaus heard the Freudian slip but he chose not to say anything about it. He knew that she would deny her feelings for him if he pressed the matter, so he instead decided to ignore it and focus on the blush that made its way to her cheeks. That lovely shade of red revealed all that Klaus needed to know.

"Speaking of knowing everything, I forgot to tell you about your mother. I don't know how it slipped my mind, but she doesn't look the same. I think she's possessing someone."

Klaus' furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Her voice sounded the same over the phone. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Klaus, I'm sure. I know I've only seen your mother, like once, but last I checked, she wasn't a petite woman, no older than 25 who sported a pixy cut." Said Caroline.

Klaus got up from the table and left the room, leaving Caroline behind in confusion. Before she could comprehend what was happening, he had returned to his former seat with a sketchpad and pencil.

"Do you think you can describe her to me so that I can sketch her?"

"Ooh, like a forensic artist." Caroline felt like she was in an episode of Bones, which meant that she was a tad bit too excited to complete the task. "Yeah, I can do that."

They spent the good part of the morning lounging around and trying to perfect the image. Caroline stealing glances at Klaus when she thought he wasn't looking and Klaus drawing Caroline without her knowledge while pretending that he had yet to finish the image of Esther.

* * *

When the sketch and the remainder of the party planning was done, Caroline made her way back to her room wanting to take a shower and to start getting ready for the ball.

When she entered her room, she was greeted by a blue suitcase that contained some of her belongings. Clearly Klaus' lackey was able to get into her room back in Mystic Falls and pick-up some of her stuff undetected. That was good. The last thing she needed was for her mother to get suspicious and call Caroline out on her lie. She needed her mother to believe that she was in Florida in order to keep her safe.

When she finished rummaging through her belongings, she noticed two boxes sitting on the foot of her bed. Since this was becoming somewhat of a common occurrence, Caroline automatically assumed that the gifts were from Klaus. Images of beautiful ball gowns flooded Caroline's thoughts. So far, Klaus was two for two and Caroline had no doubt that whatever was in the boxes would surpass her expectations.

As most people did when presented with gifts, Caroline decided to open the big box first.

The box was silver and it was sealed with a lavender ribbon. She made quick work of the ribbon, untangling it and then peeling it off of the box, eager to see the contents.

When she removed the cover, she was greeted by a beautiful lavender dress that matched the color of the ribbon perfectly.

Her hands ran through the material and stopped to touch the silver and purple jewels that clung to the material.

Draping the dress against her body, she made her way to the mirror in order to get a better look. The dress was floor length, strapless and had a sweetheart neckline. The skirt of the dress was similar to the one that she wore to the Mikaelson ball. It widened at the waistline just enough to give the dress some shape without completely hiding her figure. The jewels, which were Caroline's favorite part, started just below the waist. As the jewels went higher up the dress, they became more clustered, which caused the eye to focus on the wearers waist. The pattern then continued, but only on one side, all the way to her shoulder and around to her back. The patterns started off on the dress, but continued to function as a beautiful crystal strap.

The dress was magnificent and Caroline could not wait to try it on.

Walking back to her bed, she gently placed the dress on the mattress not wanting to wrinkle it.

In the excitement, Caroline had missed the envelope in the box.

She opened the flap and slipped the card out.

Familiar cursive filled the page in black ink.

"I could not think of a color more fitting than that which represents royalty, grace and elegance. You will wear it well.

I look forward to showing you off and invoking jealousy in my guests,

Klaus"

Sweet, cocky, charming and planned to the minute detail. Yup, the dress and card were definitely from Klaus.

Not wanting to think too much about the card, Caroline made her way to the second box. It was smaller, so Caroline assumed that it contained accessories. Jewelry, shoes, perhaps a clutch; something to add to the dress, but as she removed the black cover, she quickly realized that she was wrong.

Inside the box was racy, black lingerie, equipped with a black garter belt. This was bold, even for Klaus. Caroline was ready to march over to his room and give him a lesson in boundaries when she noticed the small piece of paper carelessly thrown in the box. The writing looked like chicken scratch so it took one glance for her to realize that it wasn't from him.

The letter read:

"Trying to get on my brother's good side. ;)

Yours truly,

Kol"

Caroline was left dumbstruck. One Mikaelson was trying to turn her into a Queen and the other was trying to pimp her out in order to gain brownie points with his brother. What was wrong with this family?

Not wanting Klaus to find out about Kol's gift, she took the box and tucked it under the bed before finally going to grab a shower. 

* * *

**I know I said that the ball was going to take place in this chapter, but I had some loose ends that I needed to take care of, so I decided to push the ball to the next chapter. Also, school started and things have been a bit hectic, so I haven't had the time to work on that chapter. This one seemed easier to write and I didn't want to make you guys wait too long for an update.**

**I hope it was okay.**

**p.s thank you to those of you who are following this story and a big thank you to those who take the time to leave me comments.**


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